CARMEN M. COLON

Carmen was born right here in Clinton Hill Brooklyn. She was raised in Brooklyn and graduated from Brooklyn Technical High School where she first began her mechanical engineering career. Carmen went on to NY TECH (formerly New York City Technical College) where she once again majored in Mechanical Engineering and was active in community volunteering. She left school prior to graduating, married and started her family. She is the mother of three young boys who are also being raised in Brooklyn.

Carmen Colon has been in engineering all of her life. She has spent the last decade working for the KeySpan Energy Delivery Corporation, starting off as one of their first female draftspersons and now as an Assistant Engineer.She is also a freelance graphic artist, website designer and e-business solutions consultant.

Carmen has been an ACCESS FOR WOMEN Role Model, lecturer and instructor for over 15 years. She has spoken before groups of 5 to 500 on the benefits of women taking on non-traditional roles. She has taught with Junior Achievement for over eight years and has received many awards for her outstanding contributions to the educating of young children and teens. She has been an instructor for the New York City Summer Youth Program for many years as well as with Gear Up for Success, another non-profit program that provides instruction to young teens right here in downtown Brooklyn. She is a life member and a former member of the Board of Directors for the Brooklyn Technical High School Alumni Association. Carmen assisted the Honorable Anna Jefferson as well as being a panelist on education for the Brooklyn Rotary Club of Bedford-Stuyvesant.

Carmen's activities has brought her many experiences, one being chosen to meet President Bill Clinton in 1992 during his visit to the downtown Brooklyn Colleges for a forum on education. She has testified on the importance of expanding the sciences and technology field to include women and minorities and is currently involved heavily as a parent representative by joining the Citywide Parent Advisory Council. She is a former PTA President and Co-President of Presidents Council.Carmen has founded the Brooklyn Children's Volunteers Club, a non-profit program sponsored by Senator Velmanette Montgomery. She has coordinated it in public school and travels to public schools looking to bring this program to their community. Her children have been her partners with most of her community endeavors and they too have been recognized by others such as President George Bush, Governor George Pataki, Mayor Mike Bloomberg, Borough President Marty Markowitz, former Borough President Howard Golden, Senator Velmanette Montgomery, and Assemblyman Roger Green.

Currently Carmen is secretary to New Brooklyn Leadership and is maintaining the organization's website.

To contact Carmen M. Colon, you can email her at ccolon@newbrooklynleadership.org